The new Birthing Ward at ANGAU Memorial Provincial Hospital continues to improve its services for expectant mothers before and after birth to ensure they receive the best care possible.
One year since the Birthing Ward opened, more than 11,700 babies have been born at the new facility.
The new Birthing Ward consists of 10 private birthing suites, and eight observation beds. The Birthing Ward with specialised equipment is one component of the ANGAU Hospital Redevelopment project supported by the Australian Government in partnership with the PNG Government.
Georgina Simon, a mother who recently gave birth to a healthy baby girl in the new Birthing Ward, was overjoyed describing the new birthing facility. She loved the convenience it provided new parents.
“The new birthing facility is just awesome,” said Georgina.
“It’s very clean, healthy, and has private rooms with its own bathing facility.”
This is Georgina’s second birth. Her first birth (twins) was at the old Labour Ward which is now the Antenatal Ward. Georgina says she has seen a big difference now compared to the old Labour Ward in terms of bed spacing, privacy, and the patient care that she also received from the midwives.
Georgina is happy with the improved services she received and thanks the Australian Government and the PNG Government for funding the new facilities.
“Mi tok tenkiu long hausik management, ol donor na ol company buildem displa naispla nupla flashy labour ward,” (I want to thank the ANGAU Hospital Management, the donor and the contractors who build this new flashy birthing ward) said Georgina.
The ANGAU Hospital Redevelopment project is not just constructing buildings and installing medical equipment, but also co-ordinating and delivering clinical training support including training for the midwives and the clinicians working at the new Birthing Ward, as well as other wards.
For Sister Florence Nick, a midwife and Nurse Manager of the Birthing Ward, the new Birthing Ward, and the new equipment, together with the midwifery training provided her and other nurses with new knowledge and skills to perform their duties effectively and efficiently.
“After going through the midwifery training facilitated by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre at the University of Technology Sydney (WHO CCUTS) I have seen a big improvement,” said Sister Nick.
Nurses and midwives are providing improved care and are more confident delivering babies during potentially risky scenarios when the doctors are not available.
“Thanks to the new knowledge received from the training, certain complications are now being managed well by midwives,” said Sister Nick.
The new Birthing Ward, the Special Care Nursery, a Children’s Outpatient Department and the Pathology Unit are part of the ANGAU Hospital Redevelopment.
The ANGAU Hospital Redevelopment is Australia’s largest single infrastructure project in Papua New Guinea since independence, valued at over AUD200million (K500 million).
It is a joint effort between the Papua New Guinea and Australian governments, driven by strong relationships with the National Department of Health and the Morobe Provincial Health Authority.
